Police arrest 19-year-old who rode PMD on top of sheltered walkway

SINGAPORE — Police have arrested a 19-year-old man who was seen in a viral video riding a personal mobility device (PMD) on top of a sheltered walkway.

A 28-second video footage of the incident made the rounds on social media earlier this week. 

The man has been arrested for his “suspected involvement in a case of rash act”. Investigations are ongoing, police said on Wednesday (Nov 20). 

Police said it had received a report on Tuesday of a man riding a PMD on top of the shelter of a walkway. Its preliminary investigations revealed that this had occurred along Lompang Road on Monday. 

“Through ground enquiries and with the aid of images from police cameras, officers from Ang Mo Kio Police Division established the identity of the man and arrested him on Nov 19,” police said.  

Anyone convicted of a rash act which endangers lives or the personal safety of others under Section 336(a) of the Penal Code, Chapter 224, can be jailed up to six months, fined a maximum of S$2,500, or both.

Following the ban of electric scooters on footpaths, which took effect on Nov 5, some PMD riders took to social media with examples of how they could circumvent the ban — with some seen riding on grass verges beside the footpaths and others on drain covers. 

However, the relevant authorities have said that these are against the law. For example, the National Parks Board said that it is an offence under the Parks and Trees Act to ride PMDs on green verges beside the footpaths without permission. Offenders can be fined up to S$5,000 if convicted.